Seniors Protecting the Kids

Uncle Chan is out tonight in Mongkok to protect the kids

I am not out on the streets like tonight running from the police who are chasing down protesters in Mongkok or building barricades or treating people who were sprayed with tear gas.

But it is amazing to see more and more elderly people out to "protect the children".

Some feel they have to do their part and literally stand in the front line.

Many seniors have participated in protest marches

Tonight it's 73-year-old Uncle Chan. He is from a group called "Protect the Children" with a vest that has this name on it. This is not the first time he's come out.

"I am not afraid of the danger. If young people are willing to come out to defend the rule of law and the city's core values, then I am willing to come forward as well," he says.

While he doesn't fight against the police, he just tries to help the young people have a bit of extra time to get away.

"We have a responsibility because the current government is destroying the future generations. We can't bear it so we have to come out and do something for the young people," he says. 

Many other seniors who have been interviewed at protests have also said the same thing.

Grandpa Wong takes a break from last week's clashes

Chan takes it literally though. Tonight on Nathan Road in Mongkok, when the police started running to catch the protesters, Chan and others tried to create a human barrier to slow down the police, but they ran right past him.

Others like an elderly couple tonight, bickered with a police officer, who soon threatened to check their IDs to get them to stop.

Last weekend a senior who called himself Grandpa Wong is also part of the group called "Protect the Children" and the oldest in the group at 82 years of age.

He says: "Our job is to stop the police from beating the protesters. The protesters are Hongkongers. They're my kids."

The fact that these seniors are actively out there literally trying to protect the protesters just shows how united they are in the cause no matter how old they are. Everyone is doing their bit.

When will Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor see that she's not just dealing with who she believes are unruly children, but also people like Uncle Chan and Grandpa Wong? She really should listen to her elders...